Gerbera plant named ‘Garoran’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gerbera  plant named ‘Garoran’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; freely flowering habit; orange and yellow bi-colored ray florets; upright and strong scapes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gerbera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GARORAN’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Gerbera Plant Named ‘Garsunny’.

Applicant: Jan Leendert Eveleens.

Filed: Jun. 9, 2010.

Ser. No.: 12/802,576.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant, botanically known as Gerbera hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Garoran’.

The new Gerbera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact container Gerbera plants with numerous inflorescences, good garden performance, frost tolerance and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Gerbera plant originated from a cross-pollination in March, 2006 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 068923, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number PA 0207, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gerbera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands during the spring of 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since the spring of 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gerbera have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in cultural practices and environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Garoran’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Garoran’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Orange and yellow bi-colored ray florets.     -   4. Upright and strong scapes.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have smaller inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have white-colored ray florets.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera have shorter scapes than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Gerbera are longer than leaves of         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have dark yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Gerbera can be compared to plants of the Gerbera hybrida ‘Garsunny’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/802,576. Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘Garsunny’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Gerbera are longer and lighter         green in color than leaves of plants of ‘Garsunny’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera and ‘Garsunny’ differ in ray floret         color as plants of ‘Garsunny’ have dark yellow-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Gerbera can also be compared to plants of the Gerbera jamesonii ‘Orangina’, not patented. Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘Orangina’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera are more compact and more uniform         than plants of ‘Orangina’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera are suitable for container and         garden cultivation whereas plants of ‘Orangina’ are suitable for         cut flower cultivation.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera and ‘Orangina’ differ in ray floret         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gerbera plant. The photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gerbera plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Garoran’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices and environmental conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial container Gerbera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 20° C. Rooted young tissue-cultured plants were four months old when the photograph was taken and eight months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera hybrida ‘Garoran’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 068923, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number PA 0207, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 2.5 to three weeks at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five to six             weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous perennial that are typically grown as             container or garden plants; compact, upright and uniformly             mounding plant habit, roughly globular in shape; leaves             arranged in basal rosettes and outwardly arching; dense and             bushy habit; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on             erect and strong basal scapes; moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.2             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             45.3 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 42.6 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 19.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Runcinate with shallow lobes; narrowly obovate in             outline.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Irregularly angulate; sinuses divergent; undulate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent; slightly             bullate.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Moderately pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker             than between 141A and 143A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to N137C; venation, close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 144A to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Texture, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture, lower             surface: Moderately pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B; distally close to 152B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Semi-double type inflorescence form with             narrowly oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; solitary             inflorescences borne on upright and strong scapes above the             foliar plane; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about three months             after planting and flower from April to November in outdoor             gardens in The Netherlands; plants flower year-round under             greenhouse conditions.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two to             four weeks on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             about 17 open and developing inflorescences per plant at one             time.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 2 cm. Diameter: About             1.6 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: Close to 137B to 137C;             towards the apex, close to 150A to 150B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.1 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.2 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.1 cm. Receptacle             height: About 3 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 5 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 157D.         -   Ray florets.—Orientation: About 60° from vertical. Length:             About 3 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate.             Apex: Broadly acute to emarginate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety; longitudinally ridged. Number per             inflorescence: About 42 arranged in about two whorls. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 12A. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 151B; towards the base, close to             28B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 23A; towards the             apex, close to 14A to 14B; color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 25B;             towards the base, close to 28B; towards the apex, close to             14A to 14B; color does not fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, fused. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of disc             florets per inflorescence: About 150. Color, prior to             opening: Apex: Close to 8B. Mid-section: Close to 11B. Base:             Close to 150D. Color, when opening: Apex: Close to 9A.             Mid-section: Close to 11B to 11C. Base: Close to 150D.             Color, fully opened: Apex: Close to 8A and 9A. Mid-section:             Close to 11C. Base: Close to 150D.         -   Pappus.—Quantity of hairs per floret: About 50. Length:             About 8 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture: Soft. Color:             Initially close to 151D, color becoming closer to 158A to             158B with development.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 70             arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Densely tomentose. Color,             upper surface: Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to             137C; towards the base, close to 137A.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 38.4 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm;             distally, about 4 mm. Angle: About 10° from vertical.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Moderately dense tomentose.             Color: Close to 144A; distally, close to 143A; proximally,             close to 144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: Two. Filament length: About 6 mm.             Filament color: Close to 8B to 8C. Anther shape: Lanceolate.             Anther length: About 4.4 mm. Anther color: Close to 12A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 13A.             Gynoecium: Present on disc and ray florets. Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape:             Cleft. Stigma color: Close to 13B. Style length: About 1 cm.             Style color: Close to 13A to 13B. Ovary color: Close to             155A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Gerberas has not been observed on plants of the new Gerbera grown     under commercial production conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gerbera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures from about −5° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Gerbera plant named ‘Garoran’ as illustrated and described. 